Uploaded: 28/3/12
Running Time: 11:56
Views When Posted: 42,915
Uploaded: 27/3/12
Running Time: 5:52
Views When Posted: 118,631
I have previously mentioned that I enjoy Chris Harris's videos for the Drive Channel on YouTube, because he's being completely honest and is clearly very enthusiastic about what he's doing. I even thought for a moment that he could present TopGear, except that really there's no room for actual motoring journalism in that show anymore.
Tiff Needell, however, has presented TopGear (1987-2001), which was in no way his only noteworthy activity - he was a Formula 1 driver for all of two races in 1980, retiring from the Belgian GP in Zolder with engine troubles and failing to qualify for Monaco. His sportscar racing career lasted slightly longer, but ultimately managed a 3rd place finish in Le Mans in 1990 (after many less successful attempts) and 2nd in the FIA GT1 Championship in 1998. Now he does odd bits here and there, mostly tin-tops and historic racing, in-between TV work.
So his racing career hardly set the world alight, but you know the phrase "Those that can't [quite] do, teach". He was drafted in by TopGear to act as an "Emergency Stig" during what historians will call 'The Great Unhelmeting' to teach film director Danny Boyle to lap the Kia Cee'd in the fastest wet lap time by some margin (until Boris Becker came along). He also went on to present Fifth Gear, and is now making Chris-Harris-Style videos for evo Magazine. His wealth of experience makes his an opinion worth listening to, but which do you prefer? Are you a Harris-monkey or a Needell-needer?
To help you decide, here are their latest videos, one with Tiff comparing the Porsche 991 Carrera S with the much faster 2012 Nissan GT-R and one looking over the history of the Mercedes-Benz SL (and cruelly missing out the '90s and '00s models) with Chris, who then drives the new one.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
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